Hobos and Taggers
by rockhotch31
Summary: My OC Matt Taylor receives a call about a case with hobos getting killed. Hotch sends Matt out to work the case with one other BAU agent. The story is as much about the case as Matt working with that agent.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome back my fine, furry friends. This one was a struggle: because I wanted to pair Matt up with the most unlikely partner. When you start reading, you'll understand.**

 **In the end, I had fun writing this one. I hope you enjoy it. It feels good to be back writing.**

 **All rights to the** _ **Criminal Minds**_ **characters belong to Mark Gordon Productions, CBS and ABC Studios. #ShadowWolvesTV !**

 ***Knightly bow***

Chapter 1

Hotch and Matt came into the Round Table Room together on a Tuesday for the morning briefing to Emily and JJ offering their critiques of Reid's latest haircut. "At least it's not the boy band look," Hotch deadpanned.

"My man," Matt smiled as Reid looked at the two of them while the rest snickered.

"Cob, you had to feed Hotch intel on that," Morgan challenged.

"Nope Morgan," Matt said, sitting down. "Boss Man came up with that all on his own," he smiled at the assembled team. "Why he gets, as Garcia would say, the fruit cup with lunch," Matt smiled.

"Let's get started," Hotch said, shaking his head. The team reviewed several cases they were consulting on to brainstorm off each other.

When they finished, Matt shook his head. "I've got one more. And very honestly, I don't know what to make of it." He looked at Dave. "It's one I picked up on for Hotch. Your wise counsel could be helpful on this one."

"Why Matt?" Dave asked.

"Because we might have a case." Matt paused and looked at Rossi. "I just don't know how the hell we can help the locals." He looked at Garcia. "Hit it girl wonder."

"Right, Sir Cob," Garcia said. "In the past two weeks, five hobos have been dumped in the Tallahassee, Florida train yard. They were killed exactly the same way," she said, putting up the pictures on the video screen without looking at them. The team looked at their tablets.

"They were all beaten to death," JJ noted. "From the pictures, bare handed beatings. This guy is unorganized."

"But the decomposition is different in all of the bodies," Reid noted.

"My first red flag," Matt said. He looked at the team. "The second is the blunt force trauma all the victims received pre mortem. They all got blitzed attacked." He looked around the table. "Do you remember the case back in 2008 in northern California?"

"The catching out case?" JJ asked. "The hobo that killed people near the train tracks?"

"That's the one," Matt said. "I missed that one with my higher calling to Uncle Sam and the Marine Corps. But I've read all your files." He looked at Dave and Morgan. "A rail cop told you both that two 'bos, hobos, in a rail car will kill each other over a turf dispute."

"Bulls and 'bos," Rossi remembered. Morgan nodded as well. "And you're right."

"Needle meet haystack," Emily said.

"That's my thing gang," Matt said. "This 'bo is dumping bodies mainly at night. And the kill is the same MO and victimology also matches up. And there's one other thing I noticed." He looked at Penelope. "You got it?"

Garcia smiled. "You know better sir." She put up crime scene photos of each murder.

"Now zero in on what I noticed," Matt said.

Garcia zoomed into each crime scene photo, with a red ring around what Matt noticed. "There's a graffiti tag outside the open box car door of the train car by where the body was found. In exactly the same place. At all crime scenes." Matt looked around the table. "It's serial," he said. "I just don't know how we can catch this guy given the transient pattern of the victims."

"And the unsub," Lewis said. Matt pointed at her.

"Hotch," Matt said, looking at him, "I've talked to the detective working this case. He feels the same way as me. While most people would think this is just hobos, what's the fuss?" Matt said with conviction. "This detective sees it like I do. These are innocent people getting killed, getting dumped in his jurisdiction and deserve justice. And he feels helpless. I've told him I don't how much we can add. But with the tagging signature?"

"So what are you suggesting?" Hotch asked Matt.

"I'd like to go check it out."

Morgan shook his head with a smile. "We all know the make-up of Tallahassee. It's more black than white. And you want to work the tagger angle?"

"I think it has merit," Matt said. "If we can find a tagger that will talk to us, maybe we get some insight on an unsub that we can't find any other way. Remember the case a couple years ago in Detroit? Taggers leave a signature mark to their artwork."

Hotch looked at Rossi. "Aaron, it's an unsub," Rossi said. "What's our job?"

Hotch thought for a second and then looked at Matt. "Take Reid with you." Matt nodded.

"With all due respect Hotch, you're gonna send the two whitest people on this team to interview hobos and taggers? With only one of them big enough to get the hobo's attention?" He looked at Reid. "No offense kid." Morgan looked at Hotch. "Which the 'bo's will need because they need the profile more than anyone?"

"You're exactly right Morgan," Matt smiled. "And who better to play good cop bad cop to the 'bo's, far less the taggers than Reid and me?"

Rossi smiled at the two of them. "I'm your consult guys if you need to bounce some things off someone."

"Thanks Big Dog," Matt smiled, and looked at Reid. "When I climb into bed in my boxers, your light is off. You're done reading for the night Doc."

"Oooo TMI," Prentiss snarked. JJ and Lewis snickered.

Matt looked at ladies. "Who won the boxers or briefs bet concerning me?" The ladies all looked at each other.

Rossi laughed, getting out of his chair. "Nailed that profile my boy," he smiled at Matt. Matt pointed at Rossi, getting out of his chair. "Call me if you need some back-up."

"Thanks Dave," Matt smiled.

"It's my hotel room too," Reid protested.

"Reid, it's lights out or my Glock is up your nose," Matt growled.

Dave lightly laughed at Reid, leaving the room. "Have fun with that kid."

-00CM00-

Reid looked at Matt sitting across from him on the jet. "This unsub is obviously killing his victims somewhere along train lines. A 'bo hops in the wrong boxcar and gets killed."

"After a blitz attack, that cracks his skull. Keep going," Matt said. "All of the skull cracks are in the back of the head. I'm thinking the 'bo hops into the car and this unsub drills the 'bo into the boxcar floor."

Reid nodded. "It fits Matt. But what I trip over is why dump the bodies, in different forms of decomp, in Tallahassee?"

"Another tripping point," Matt said. He snapped his fingers. "Hook up with Garcia." He pushed a button on his cell.

"What you got my two crimefighters?" Matt and Reid smiled.

"Garcia," Matt said, "hook up with one of Quantico's coroners. Have Tara work that angle. Send them all the local coroner reports and have our techs see if they can scope out, given the weather patterns and different stages of decomp, how far away this unsub killed all of his victims."

"Do you think that will help?" Garcia asked. "And Ewww…the smell."

"'Bo's don't notice smell Garcia," Matt said. "We're pulling at any string to find this unsub. And Garcia, the rail company has to have security footage of the railyard. See if they got a glimpse of this guy."

"Either dumping the body or tagging the rail car," Reid added.

"Have Emily and JJ look at the footage," Matt said.

"Understood my knights; Garcia is on it."

"Thanks Garcia," Reid said. He looked at Matt. "Do you think that is going to help us?"

Matt shrugged. "It can't hurt." Reid nodded at him.

Matt read through the files more and then shook his head. "Matt?" Reid asked.

"What if this guy isn't as disorganized as we, okay I, originally thought?"

"What are you thinking?"

"The more I read and digest Reid, the more I think we're looking at a human predator profile."

Reid leaned back into his seat in thought. He looked at Matt, shaking his head. "You may be on to something Matt. But I don't know how that helps us catch this unsub."

Matt smiled. "But it gives us a game plan." Reid looked at Matt. "We give the profile to the people that might know the most." Reid looked at him. "The 'bo's in the jungle," Matt smiled.

Reid smiled. "You read every detail of that case," he said, shaking his head. Matt smiled. "You're getting as bad as me man." Matt laughed. "Let's call the Big Dog and see what he says."

Matt shook his head. "Let's make out our game strategy before we talk to Dave."

"Then Matt," Reid said, "we need to talk more. I get where you're going. But I'm still not on the same wave length as you. We don't normally work together."

Matt smiled. "No we don't. That's why Hotch paired you up with me." He looked at Reid. "And he's right," Matt admitted. "But Doc, we have to be together on this one."

"Why did Hotch pair us together?" Reid asked.

"I suggested it," Matt said.

"Why?"

"Number one: the team. If they get a major case, Hotch needs Rossi as senior profiler. And I need Morgan on tactical. Number two: Bureau rules. I can't share a hotel with any of the ladies. But we do have to share a hotel room. Any more questions?" Reid shook his head with a smile.

"Then lay out your game plan to me and don't get mad if I dissect part of it."

Matt looked at Reid. "You and I are partners on this one; disparate personalities or not. We have to be in complete unison as partners. We talk to each other, profile this case and build a workable plan _together_ ," Matt emphasized, "on how to catch this unsub."

Reid smiled. "And then run that past Rossi."

"Not really," Matt said, looking the genius. "We do this on our own and consult with Rossi only if we need it."

"Boom," Reid said with a smile.

"That's outdated Doc," Matt smiled.

"You say it all the time," Reid countered.

"And Abbey is starting to point out my grey hairs dude," Matt fired back.

Reid laughed. "Message received."

They worked for another hour before landing in Tallahassee.

###

 **A/N: Yup; that was my story concept: to pair Matt with Reid on a case. I struggle writing Reid and I thought maybe this was a way to get over that hump.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Matt and Reid walked into the Tallahassee police substation. A man came out of his office and smiled at them. "Hey guys; I'm Detective Greg Garrison."

"Pleasure to meet you Detective," Matt smiled. "I'm Agent Matt Taylor, you contact at the BAU," he said, shaking Garrison's hand. "This is Dr. Reid," Matt gestured. Reid waved at him, forgoing the handshake.

Garrison looked at them. "I thought the BAU was a bigger team."

"We normally are," Matt said. "Do you have a conference room set up for us like Agent Garcia requested?"

Garrison smiled. "It's right over here," he gestured.

"We'll explain in there," Matt said.

Garrison led them into the conference room. Matt put down his go bag and deposited his brief case into a chair. Reid did the same with putting his messenger bag into a chair after shutting the door and putting his go bag down. "Detective, our entire team, including the Unit Chief and our senior profiler has reviewed this case. They agree with you that you have a serial killer who is dumping bodies in your jurisdiction."

"Here's the problem Detective," Reid said. "We can present our preliminary profile to your officers. But given the transient nature of both the victims and the unsub, we don't know how much its going to help."

Matt looked at the Garrison. "And no Detective, it's not because the victims are hobos. We feel the same way as you. Reid and I don't give a damn about how little they have. They are victims of a crime. We want this unsub as bad as you."

"It's just with the transient nature of this unsub and his victims, we don't have our normal ways of narrowing down our profile and helping you find this unsub," Reid said.

Matt smiled. "Unless of course you can get a force of over a hundred cops to patrol every rail line in that yard along with rail security. And two drones to cover with an aerial view. You get that; we'll get the whole team here."

Garrison looked at him. "Do you see what we're saying now Detective?" Matt asked.

"So you've got nothing for me?" Garrison growled.

"No Detective," Reid said, "But here's the thing. Matt and I have a working profile. And a possible angle to get a read on this unsub."

"Detective," Matt said. "The BAU is here to assist you on this case. But Detective, you've gotta work with us on what we've profiled. It's your case; you're the lead. We're just here to assist. It's just that profiling down to get a possible name of the unsub we don't feel is going to help due to the transient nature of the unsub."

Just then Matt's cell rang. He looked at the caller ID. "Em, you got something?"

"Yeah, we do."

"Give us a few minutes Prentiss," Matt said. "Reid and I just got in the door and meeting the lead. We haven't got my laptop set up yet."

"Give Garcia a holler when you do."

"Thanks Prentiss."

"She and JJ had to find something," Matt said, digging out his laptop looking at Reid. Reid nodded. Matt quickly hooked it up, got the Wi-F access password from Garrison and made the connection.

Garrison looked at Matt. "We've had two of our team members along with our team's technical analyst looking at railyard security footage."

Reid pulled out his cell. "Garcia, send what Prentiss and JJ found to Matt's laptop."

"Done boy wonder. BTW you're on speaker with them in the room," Garcia added.

"Hey guys," JJ said. "It's quick and we can't get facial ID on the unsub. But Garcia has worked her magic."

"Let's see it," Matt said.

"Guys, one of the pivoting security camera of the railyard caught the unsub briefly doing the tagging before the camera moved," Prentiss said.

Matt, Reid and Garrison looked at the video. "Here's the thing guys," Prentiss said. "Garcia was able to use her visual perspective software like she did with the terror cell in NYC."

"Reid and his math helped with all that," Garcia said. "Your unsub is five foot six at best."

Matt shook his head at Reid. "And can still beat the hell out of someone. Thank you all," Matt said, ending the call.

"You called it Cob. He's using a blitz attack on a 'bo that goes into his boxcar. That is some kind of rage," Reid said. "Our profile is right on."

"Matt here's my thing. Did you play football?" Matt nodded. "A five foot six guy can power down that deep of a blitz attack?" Reid asked.

"Trained right and has the build? Hell yes Doc," Matt said.

"But Matt, how does a 'bo keep up the physical build? Eating a meager portion of mulligan stew in a jungle along the tracks?"

Matt shook his head. "Damn Reid. He has to have some minor funding to eat better along the train lines."

"So when the hell do I and my officers hear this profile?" Garrison demanded.

"Detective, we're ready to give you our preliminary profile right now," Matt said. "And we're ready to work our asses off to get you a name. Do you understand that a name is not going to help you out in that transient world?"

"So what the hell are you going to do?" Garrison said.

"We're going to help you," Matt said. "That's why you called us in."

"First off," Reid said, "we just got a huge lead. With you and your officers helping us, Matt and I are going to work two angles to find this unsub."

"Which are?" Garrison asked.

"We'd like," Matt said, "with your help, to talk to the taggers around town. From a previous case the BAU worked, we know that taggers leave a signature on their artwork. We find a tagger that knows this unsub."

"Secondly, Matt and I talk to the 'bo's in the jungle and the bulls."

Garrison just shook his head at him. Matt and Reid layed out their profile.

Reid smiled at him. "Another case the BAU worked in northern California. The jungle is the camps the hobos have set up along railyards where they 'catch out', in their world, to hop another train after taking some down time. Bulls are railyard security. We go talk to them to see if we can build more on our profile," Reid smiled.

Garrison looked at the two in amazement. "How much shit has your team waded through?"

"You don't want to know," Matt said. "Honestly Detective, the bulls, railyard cops, need this description more than your men. But if I was you, I'd have a cruiser with two officers in it on stand-by at that railyard twenty-four seven. The railyard bulls are going to notice more than your officers. A quick back-up could catch this guy."

"That's why Detective, Matt and I are going to give our profile to them first. And then go to the jungle and talk to the 'bo's. After it gets dark, you can help us out on the street with the taggers."

Matt looked at Reid and shook his head, pulling out his cell. "Hotch; it's Matt. Call railyard security to get every one of their bulls in for Reid and me to present our findings. The profile won't do them any good. But the description and the tagging might."

"Got it Matt," Hotch said.

Garrison shook his head. "When do you two plan on sleeping tonight?"

Reid sadly smiled. "When we're working cases, sleep is a luxury."

Garrison looked at them shaking his head.

"We'll keep you in the loop Detective," Matt smiled at Garrison. "Go home and spend some time with your family before we head out tonight."

"Thanks guys," Garrison smiled. "I'll update my guys on what you're doing if that's okay?"

"Go for it," Matt smiled. "Tell them we hope to have more tomorrow to fill them in."

"And I'll get the patrol sergeants to assign a squad at the railyard," Garrison said. Matt and Reid nodded at him heading out the door.

Getting to the Bureau SUV, Reid looked at Matt. "Is there a chance I get to drive?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Not on my watch," Matt smiled, climbing into the driver's side. Reid laughed, getting in.

On the way to the railyard, Reid's cell buzzed. "Hey Tara," Reid smiled.

"Reid, it's Tara. Put me on speaker."

"What you got?" Reid asked.

"Guys," Tara said, "your hunch on the autopsies paid off. Each of the victims had traces of Mississippi river algae in their airways."

"So….?" Matt asked.

"Matt, the railyard in Memphis is right along the Mississippi River." JJ said and paused. "When it was seventy degrees there where the techs figured out that victim number two got killed. The one with the most decomp."

"Victim number three showed the next biggest amount of decomp," Tara said. "The coroner techs said it was in the forties in Memphis at the approximate time of kill. So it preserved the body a bit more."

"The last three victims felt the cold snap that hit Memphis," Tara added.

"And getting into a fight with a 'bo in the boxcar would make them breathe in heavily the air around them as they were fighting for their lives," Matt deduced. Reid nodded.

"Thank you both," Reid smiled.

"JJ, get this to Hotch," Matt said. "Have him get the rail company security to allow Garcia to track where the trains in the Tallahassee railyard are that make the run to and from Memphis. This could be huge. Get on it."

"Done Cob," JJ and Tara said.

"And hey," Reid said. "We've now got Tallahassee and Memphis connection. It isn't much. But have Garcia check it out as well."

"Already on it Spence," JJ said.

"Yes you all are," Reid smiled. "Thank you."

Matt and Reid pulled into the railyard by the security office. As Matt got out, his cell rang. "Hey Dave," Matt smiled. "You're on speaker."

"The Tallahassee and Memphis connection is a good lead guys. But don't back off the rest of your plan." Reid looked at Matt.

"Dave," Matt smiled at Reid. "We get it. It's not our first case. You're right; the lead is huge. But part of Reid's and my job is to put a complete profile together. Until we can figure out the tagger angle, our profile is incomplete. Doc and I won't accept that."

"Rock on my boys," Rossi said. Reid looked at Matt with his smile.

"Yes mom," Matt said, ending the call.

Matt and Reid walked into the railyard office. They saw twelve men, most of whom looked like people they wouldn't work with. "This is all of you?" Matt asked, showing his credentials.

"Come on man," one said, "we're glorified scarecrows and nothing more."

"Not the first time we've heard that," Reid commented.

Matt introduced the two of them as Reid handed out the picture that Garcia captured from the security footage. "We know it's not much guys. But we do know he's five foot six."

"Do not underestimate him," Reid said. "This is a psychopath that has killed five 'bo's bigger than him. If you spot him, do not approach him. Detective Garrison of the Tallahassee PD has assigned a squad car to sit outside of the railyard. You see this man, you call 911."

Matt looked at the group. "Do you know where the rail cars come from in the yard?" They all shook their head. "That's OK. But there's a Memphis connection to this guy. Our supervisor is working with the rail companies to see if our technical analyst can pinpoint the boxcars that came from Memphis. If she finds that information, can you help us?"

"Agent, I'm Keith. I'm sorta the foreman around here. And hell yes, if your analyst can tell us a track and what quadrant it's in, we can find it."

"Quadrant?" Matt asked.

Keith walked to a map of the railyard. He pointed to a track. "This is track ten. It runs through the entire yard." He pointed at the red outlines on the map. "This is how we bulls break down the quadrants doing our patrols."

"Mind if we take a picture of that?" Matt asked. Keith nodded his head. Matt snapped the picture and sent it to Garcia. "This is a huge help for us," Matt smiled.

"How so Agent?" Keith asked.

"If our technical analyst can get into you rail car tracking system along with security video, this map helps her track down our unsub," Reid said. "We can alert you and have more police presence here in a more precise area rather than the whole rail yard."

"Like Dr. Reid said you call 911 if you see this man," Matt added. "Do not take him on. And when the cops show up, they could use your help. But for God's sake, don't use those shotguns you carry. None of us want to pull buckshot out of our asses." The rail cops all smiled. "Just be our eyes and ears and let law enforcement handle this."

"You'll be here?" Keith asked.

"Yes we will," Matt said. "Now – tell us where the jungle is. The 'bo's can help us too."

Keith pointed out the window. "Two hundred yards that way; you can't miss it with the smell."

###


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hi pmp1208! Thanks for the luvs. :D**

Chapter 3

Matt and Reid walked up the outside spur line of the rails of the railyard towards the hobo's encampment. Matt took a sniff. "We're getting close," he commented.

Reid looked at him. "That doesn't bother you?" The closer they got, the more they smelled urine and the hobo's horrible concoction of Mulligan stew.

"What do you mean Doc?" Matt asked.

"Remember the case in Texas? Deputy Boyd?" Matt looked at him. "Morgan and Prentiss had a huge problem with the smell when we got to Boyd's trailer where he cut up the decomposed bodies."

Matt shook his head. "Doc, I'm a Marine. I've smelt the slit trenches that were dug into the sand for us to shit and piss in."

"That bad?"

"Yup Doc. But that Mulligan stew isn't helping."

"Me either," Reid honestly admitted. "What's in that?"

"Any animal they can kill," Matt said.

"Thanks for that," Reid said as the two of them headed towards the camp.

"Cops!" a hobo shouted, rising to run off.

"Hey guys!" Matt said. "We're just looking for information. Nothing more. None of you will be wearing handcuffs. I give you my word. And if one of you can give my partner and me solid information, you'll get a twenty dollar bill out of my wallet."

Matt and Reid pulled out their credentials. "I'm Agent Taylor with the FBI. This is Doctor Reid also with the FBI."

"Doctor?" a hobo asked.

Matt smiled at him. "He's got more PhDs than you do missing teeth, man. I respect that."

Another hobo looked at Reid. "You're really FBI?"

"The Smith and Wesson make it pretty official," Matt countered. "Don't you agree?" The hobo shrugged his shoulders.

The first hobo looked at Matt. "What the hell do you want from us?"

"Someone is killing people like you along these tracks and dumping their bodies in this rail yard," Matt gestured. "The local police don't like getting bodies dumped on their turf. They called us in to help with their investigation."

"You help with their investigation?" another hobo challenged.

"Agent Taylor and I are with the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit. The BAU assists local law enforcement in catching serial killers," Reid said.

"The ass that is doing this is a serial killer?" a hobo asked.

Matt looked at him. "Yes, he is." He looked at the group. "And we could use your help. You're losing your own. And we are not here to judge your life style. We just want to help the local police catch this SOB."

The "lead" hobo looked at Matt. "You wanna catch this guy?"

"Yes," Matt said.

The hobo sadly shook his head. "I've lost two of my friends in the last two weeks." He raised his head and looked at Matt. "This is for real?" Matt nodded with a smile and walked up to him and crouched down.

"I'm Matt," he said, putting out his hand. "My friends call me Cob."

"Cob?" the hobo asked, shaking Matt's hand.

"You irritate him," Reid said, "Matt becomes a cobra. A very lethal one. And he's got a very impressive tattoo on his left bicep to back it up. It's a Marine thing."

Matt smiled at the hobo. "Yes, I'm a Marine. Yes, I can be a cobra. But right now all I want is for you to talk to us please. The guy we're looking for is five foot six," Matt gestured. "But he's a sociopath. You get into his boxcar, he'll kill you. Outside of that boxcar, he's just like the rest of you. But he's pissed off at the world. He's told one of you his story."

The hobo shook his head. "His name is Petey. At least that's what he told me."

Matt looked at him. "What else did he tell you?"

"He was a fantastic football player in high school that got kicked off the team for being too aggressive," the hobo said, shaking his head. "Petey said he liked drilling people into the ground. And then he looked me in the eye. 'Isn't that what a football player is supposed to do?' He scared me Cob. I knew to stay away from his boxcar."

Matt shook his head looking at Reid. "That explains the pre mortem cracked skulls the coroner found in all the victims."

"The blitz attacks," Reid added.

The hobo looked at Matt. "You attack someone coming into your boxcar and forcefully tackle them to the floor of said boxcar; their skull is going to get cracked. What else can you tell us about him?"

The hobo shrugged. "Did he say anything about Memphis?" Reid asked.

"That's his hometown," another hobo said.

Matt looked around. "Give Dr. Reid and me a guess on Petey's age."

Another hobo looked up. "He told me in one of the other jungles that if he had been on the 2002 team; they would have won the state championship."

"Thanks man," Matt smiled. He looked at the lead hobo, pulling out his wallet. "You're former military." The hobo looked at him. "When I said I was Marine, your head snapped up a bit." The hobo looked at him more. "I get paid to notice things like that." Matt pulled a one hundred dollar bill out his wallet.

"Yeah, I am; or was. Army Ranger," the hobo said.

"You take care of your men?" Matt said.

The hobo nodded. "I was a sergeant."

"Because all of you have helped us; you spread the wealth among your men."

The hobo looked at Matt. "And you've got officer damn near tattooed on your forehead," he said, and then smiled. "I'll share Cob," he said. "I promise."

"But on one condition," Matt said. "You work with the railyard bulls. Doc and I've have already got them on board. Sorry for the pun," he smiled. "If you've got info on Petey being around here, you talk to them. They won't harass you. They'll forward that info to Doc and me and the Tallahassee police." Matt looked around. "Do not," he emphasized, "take him on on your own. You'll be his next body."

Matt looked at the hobo, giving him the hundred dollar bill. "I promise sir. We'll share this equally."

"Thank you Sergeant," Matt smiled.

"Sir," the hobo said, looking at Matt. "Can I ask?"

Reid smiled. "He's a Marine inactive reserve Colonel."

The hobo looked at Matt. "Uncle Sam likes me doing this job first," Matt smiled and shook his hand. "Please work with the bulls on this. We all want this dude caught."

"Yes sir," the hobo smiled. Matt nodded at him with a smile and stood up. "Let's go meet some taggers Doc," he said. "Thanks guys," Matt added looking around the camp.

When the two of them got back up to the rail lines, Reid called Garcia putting it on speaker. "Whatca got for me boy wonder?"

"Garcia, see if you can track down a guy named Petey that was in high school in Memphis in 2002. He got kicked off the football team for over-aggressive behavior."

"Garcia, it's Cob. Start with teams that made it to the playoffs in 2002. And how are you doing on that crow bar getting into the rail companies tracking of boxcars?"

"That crow bar is out and working, Sir Cob," Garcia said. "They have full buy-in on not liking the publicity."

"Thank you Hotch," Matt smiled at Reid. "So what's the 411?"

"You have no railcars coming in from Memphis tonight."

"Buttttt?" Matt questioned.

"Get your big boy pants on tomorrow night."

"Luvs ya Garcia," Matt said with a smile. "Please dig into Reid's intel and expect maybe more in the morning after we talk to the taggers."

"Roger that Sir Cob."

"And Garcia….."

"Give Hotch the heads up while you two toil on."

"You're good," Matt smiled. "Thanks Garcia."

"Luvs and hugs back my super duo. I'm here if you need me. And already digging on the info I got."

"Thanks Garcia," Reid said, ending the call.

Matt and Reid went into the bull's office. "Our technical analyst at the Bureau is now able to track rail cars," Reid said. "There's nothing coming in tonight from Memphis."

The lead bull smiled. Matt shook his head at him. "It's game on tomorrow night. And we've got the 'bo's in. Please work with them instead of running them off. They are your and our best eyes. They know this guy."

"And we'll have a strong police presence around here for back up," Reid said.

The lead bull looked at Matt. "I'm tired of seeing blood on my tracks."

"So are we," Matt said. "But please, if a 'bo comes up to you? Listen to them. And work with us, feeding us that information."

"The 'bo's bought into that?" another bull asked.

Reid shook his head. "They're losing their friends."

Matt shook his head. "It was an easy sale." He looked at the bulls. "Please listen to them and work with us and the Tallahassee PD. I guarantee all of you, we'll be here. You can be targets just as much as the 'bo's."

"Honestly," Reid said, "taking one of you out would strengthen his psychosis."

"Big time," Matt said. "And you all will have the next target on your back."

The bulls looked at them. "You're a bigger target," Reid simply said. "That's huge in this unsub's world. The bigger the obstacle he kills, the better he likes it."

The lead bull looked at Matt. "How you gonna back us tomorrow night?"

Matt smiled. "You all be in this office tomorrow night at this same time."

Walking to the Bureau SUV, Reid looked at Matt. "Do we really need to talk to the taggers?"

Matt stopped in his tracks. "You don't think we shouldn't?" Reid looked at Matt. "Doc, what do you foresee tomorrow night?"

"A possible stand-off with an unsub."

"Very good Dr. Reid," Matt said. "But in said stand-off, how's the best way to handle that?"

Reid smiled. "By knowing as much as we can about the unsub."

"Why?"

"So we can get into his head," Reid answered.

"Because…?" Matt asked.

"You lost me," Reid admitted.

"To minimize the loss of life Dr. Reid," Matt said. "Welcome to my world. It's my job on tactical."

"I get that Matt," Reid said.

"But Doc, it's my job to cut down those tactical variables to make this a minimal loss scenario. I don't like the odds," he said getting into the SUV with Reid doing the same, "working with a bunch of railyard bulls with shotguns. I'd prefer to not have my ass shot up with buckshot. So it's going to take a coordinated effort. I want to know Petey as much as I can. And then anticipate his every move."

Reid buckled his seatbelt. His stomach rumbled for food. Matt smiled. "You text Garrison to meet us back at the prescient at eight. You and I are going to check into our hotel room and find a place with burgers and a beer."

"I could go for that tonight," Reid smiled.

Just then, Matt's cell rang. He put it on speaker, winking at Reid. "Hi dad," Matt smiled. "I've got a twenty that mom is sitting in on this convo."

"Screw you Matt," Dave growled. Matt smiled at Reid.

"How's it going?" Hotch asked.

"We've got Garcia's info that we're good tonight. I'm sure she's told you about our lead. We're gonna check out the taggers tonight with Detective Garrison to see if we can get more on our profile of this unsub. In the meantime, we've got the bulls and 'bo's to get along and work with each other tomorrow night, which by Garcia's hunting, is when Petey might be next in town. But there's a major news flash Hotch."

"Which is?" Hotch fired back.

"Doc agreed to burgers and a beer with me," Matt smiled at Reid, starting the SUV.

"Just don't start a damn bar fight," Dave smiled.

"Yes mom," Matt winked at Reid. "But that's totally up to Doc."

"God damn you Cob," Hotch growled. "You're why I'm getting gray hair."

Matt laughed. "I've got three kids entering puberty my friend. You've only got one. My ace beats your king."

Dave laughed. "Holler if you need anything."

"You got it Dave," Matt smiled.

###


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Matt pulled the SUV into the hotel parking lot. He and Reid got out, grabbed their luggage from the back and entered the lobby to check in. Matt smiled at the hotel employee, handing one of the room keys to Reid. "You got a recommendation for the best burgers and cold beer around here Lydia?"

She smiled and pointed across the street. Matt and Reid looked. "I know Champs is a national chain," Lydia smiled. "But the food at that one is fantastic." Matt looked at her. "My husband is head chef right now," she beamed.

"What say you Sherlock," Matt smiled at Reid.

"I say we get our luggage to our room and head over there. I'm getting hungry."

"I like that answer," Matt smiled. "Thanks Lydia."

"Enjoy Agents," she smiled back.

Matt and Reid walked down the hall to their room. "Ummmm Cob, you OK with this?"

Matt looked at him, putting the security card into the door lock. "Doc?"

"Sharing a room," Reid stammered a bit, "with me."

Matt looked at him, opening the door. "You know the Bureau's budget policies. We have to," he said going in the door, flipping the light on.

"It's just that we're so different," Reid said.

"I'm different than Morgan who you usually share a room with?" Matt asked.

Reid lightly laughed. "OK, I'll give you that one. But it's just that Morgan is used to my…."

"Doc," Matt smiled. "I sleep in my boxers and maybe a t-shirt if it's cool. As long as your p.j.'s don't have fuzzy, loveable animals on them, I'm cool."

"Morgan told you?" Reid incredulously asked.

"Hell no Doc," Matt said. "I'm a profiler," he winked with a smile. "Let's get something to eat. I'm starving." Reid nodded with a smile.

Walking out of the hotel, Reid stopped Matt. "Do you mind if we walk over there?"

"Not at all," Matt smiled. They made their way to the crosswalk of the city street that was still busy with evening traffic.

Reid hit the button for the crosswalk traffic sign and looked at Matt. "Hotch and Rossi are boxers and t-shirt sleepers as well."

Matt shook his head. "You missed on the profile a bit kid," Matt smiled as the crosswalk sign blinked white. "Dave's t-shirts are Italian made," he said, rubbing Reid's shoulder. "Hotch and me are Hanes guys."

"I knew that," Reid smiled. Matt laughed.

A few minutes later, the restaurant hostess led them to a booth. Matt pulled off his suitcoat to reveal his sidearm as well, putting it in the booth seat. Reid's, as usual, was in prominent display on his hip. "Whoa," the hostess said.

"Relax Marci," Matt smiled at the hostess. "We're federal agents on down time. But our job requires this."

"Got it," she smiled. "Your server will be here shortly," she said, setting down menus.

Sitting near the bar area, Matt surveyed the beer tap line. He smiled at Reid. "They have my brand. I'm a happy camper."

"Cob, really? We're meeting with the lead detective in two hours?"

"Doc, it's one beer with food on top of it. I can pass the Bureau pee test. And did Hotch say we couldn't? Or shouldn't?"

Reid smiled. The server walked up to the table. "Good evening Agents; I'm Luke. What can I start you off with?" Matt eyed him. Luke smiled. "My dad is a U.S. Marshall."

"I'll have a twenty ounce frosty tapper of Miller Lite," Matt smiled.

Reid looked at him. "I'll stick with water," he smiled. "I'm not a pro like him."

"That means he's not Irish," Matt smiled. "You ready to order your dinner Doc?" Reid nodded with a smile. "I'll have the Western burger medium," Matt said. "Upgrade to the seasoned waffle fries with the Champs secret sauce please." Reid looked at Matt. "Trust me Doc; it's the bomb. My sons would eat at Champs every night if Abbey and I let them."

"Then Luke," Reid smiled, "I'll have the black and blue burger medium well with the same upgrade."

"You got it guys," Luke smiled. "I'll be right back with your beer," he said heading off.

"You do seasoned fries with your stomach?" Reid asked, looking at Matt.

Matt shook his head. "Doc, it's waffle fries with Lowry's seasoned salt on them. I put that on the chicken I grill. And the secret sauce? It's ketchup and ranch dressing mixed together. Hell Doc, Abbey and I do that for the kids all the time when we have French fries or tatter tots for dinner." He looked at Reid. "It's a helluva lot cheaper at home than Champs," Matt smiled.

"You're good Cob," Reid smiled.

"I have a good wife," Matt smiled back.

Reid smiled. "I know that too." Matt smiled at him with the Rossi point.

-00CM00-

Matt and Reid walked into the precient at seven forty five. Garrison came out of his office with a smile. "Why is it not a surprise you two are here early?"

"We need to catch you up on our investigation," Reid said. They caught up Garrison on the headway with what they had so far.

"So why go meet the taggers?" Reid smiled at Matt, who laid out his strategy, including Garcia's intel on the boxcars.

"OK," Garrison smiled. "I'm in. Here's what I've been doing the last hour." He looked at Reid and Matt. "Thank you both for the home time. I needed that."

"We get it Detective," Reid smiled.

"You have kids Agent Reid?" Garrison questioned.

Reid shook his head. "Just one very special niece and five nephews." Garrison looked at him.

Matt smiled. "My wife and I supply the niece and two of the nephews."

"Got it," Garrison smiled. "I know your team is close. My dad worked with the BAU in his day as detective. But here's my work guys. I've talked to a few of the night shift staff about taggers. They all told me the same thing. If we want info about a tagger, we track down Monster. He's the biggest and most prolific on the street. He'll be the one to help us." Garrison paused. "If we can find him. He's elusive." He showed Matt and Reid photos of some of Monster's recent work.

Matt pulled out this cell phone and hit a button. "Sir Cob," Garcia answered on speaker phone.

"Garcia, I'm sorry to call you at home, but I need your help. It should be an easy search."

Garrison looked at Reid. "Agent Garcia is the BAU's technical analyst. If you don't mind her searching through your police system, she can narrow down our search area for Monster."

"Isn't that hacking" Garrison asked.

"Technically, yes," Reid said. "But Garcia is the best. And she's only looking for information that we narrow down in parameters to her."

"Greg, it's you call," Matt said. "She can help."

"Do it," Garrison said. "I'll deal with the bureaucrats later."

"Detective, they won't know I've been in there," Garcia said. "Feed me intel guys."

"Garcia we're looking for a tagger named Monster," Matt said. "Garrison pulled him out by the police reports of his works. They are politically motivated. The Broward county school shooting has set him off. See if you can narrow down a working radius for him given the police data base of where he has been tagging over the years."

Garcia smiled. "I'm all over this. And Kevin and I are done with our dinner. You've got us both working on this."

"Thanks Garcia." Matt replied.

"Ciao," Garcia said.

Garrison looked at Matt. "She won't set off our computer system safety protocols?"

Matt smiled shaking his head. Garrison looked at Reid. "Yes, she's that good," Reid smiled.

The three of them made small talk for a bit. Garcia pinged Matt's laptop. "The boy and I have got the 411 on Monster." She put up a map of his working area. "But my assistant liege, here's the bad news. He's not out on the streets until after eleven; more like one in the morning."

"Thanks Garcia," Matt said. "We knew it was going to be a long night for us. Just keep a heads up on those Memphis inbound rail cars for tomorrow night."

"You know it Sir Cob," Garcia brightly said.

"Hey Cob; it's Kevin. I starting to get hits on your guy Petey. It's not much right now. But I'm starting to get enough to narrow it down."

"Thanks Kevin," Matt smiled. "But let your systems do their thing and walk away. You both need down time. If you get more info tomorrow morning, send me the file. Doc and I will look at it when we get up in the morning. I don't know about Doc, but I'm gonna sleep in."

"Roger that Cob," Kevin said.

"Do get some sleep," Garcia said. "You know I worry."

"Thanks you two," Matt smiled. "Good night."

"Thanks for the info you two. We appreciate it," Reid added.

"Good night Boy Wonder," Garcia said.

"Good night Garcia," Reid smiled. "You too Kevin." Matt ended the call and shut down his laptop.

Garrison looked at them. "I can get that map to the roll out precinct sergeant for their nightly briefing. How do you want them to play it?"

"Just have them do some rolling canvases to see if Monster is out on the street in that area. Tell them to not approach him but call in the address," Matt said. "Where's the best place for us to sit for that call but not noticeable?"

Garrison pointed at the map. "Janson Park," he said, shaking his head with a smile. "But the hookers might not appreciate that."

"Doc, what do they say in the Russian Marines?" Matt asked with his broad smile.

"Toughski shitski," Reid smiled back to the memory of the case in Germany.

Garrison looked at Matt. "Long story," he smiled.

"Longer case," Reid added.

"That one was a bitch," Matt said. He and Reid, killing time, filled Garrison in on the team's case at Ramstein Air Force Base.

"Damn," Garrison said. "I served two years there. That was the best duty in the Air Force."

"That's what made it workable in our world," Matt said. "The facilities and housing were top notch."

"That and the personnel we worked with," Reid added with a smile. Matt pointed at him with his own smile. Just then, his cell pinged with a message. He looked at it.

 _Cob, turn your laptop back on. K_

Matt texted Kevin. _What do you have?_

 _Petey_ Kevin texted back.

"Call Kevin Doc," Matt said, getting his laptop going.

"Hey Kevin; it's Reid. What do you have?"

"Sorry guys. I've been running with the data and I think I found Petey."

"Kevin," Matt said, "I thought I told you to take the rest of the night off."

"Yes sir you did. But this is me taking a night off from Penelope. I love her. But," he stammered, "sometimes you need a night off. She's doing her thing. I'm doing mine."

Matt smiled. "Like once a month for a couple of days Kevin?" Garrison smiled as well.

"Yes sir."

"I get it Kevin. Abbey and I have kids older than you two have been together. I so get it. Honestly, I don't mind being out on cases when that time happens." Reid looked at Matt. "Female hormones Doc. And the love of my life is starting to look at menopause."

"Got it," Reid smiled.

"Spill it Kevin," Matt said. "My laptop is running."

"Here's your guy sir. Peter Gibbons." Matt, Reid and Garrison looked at the picture.

"Printable pic of the unsub already in your mailbox sir," Kevin said.

"Thanks Kevin; give us the details."

"Peter Gibbons was born and raised in Memphis. Here's how I made the hit. When Petey got kicked off the football team, his parents raised quite a stink to the school board. It made the local papers. Two weeks later, the parents were killed in car accident. Coming home from another school board meeting no less."

"There's a stressor," Matt said, looking at Reid.

"Let me pile on sir. The parents had a will. Good thing right? But the bad thing is that the uncle that was placed in charge of Petey's parent's sizeable estate and Petey knew he was a bad seed. He put a sizeable cap on Petey's monthly allotment of his inheritance. He only got three hundred a month; which didn't live up to Petey's life style with a fancy car and clothes."

"Bigger stressor," Reid said.

"He graduated high school. Made the football team at the local small college that the parent's estate supported. And got kicked off that team for the same reason. He's been in the wind ever since."

"Hang on Kevin," Matt said. "He's been in the wind since when?"

"2004 sir."

"When Garcia gets up tomorrow morning, have her expand her search of railway killings nationwide going back to 2004."

"Sir?" Garrison looked at Matt.

"This started long ago," Reid sadly said. "The cases just haven't linked up."

"But Doc," Matt said. "What's this stressor? Why the Memphis to Tallahassee connection?"

"Sir, I can help with that. Petey's uncle died just before those killings started in your area and his lawyer took over, limiting Petey's income more. But the uncle's ex-wife, that Petey is close with lives in Tallahassee and she gets a sizable alimony check every month."

"Get us a name and address on that aunt," Matt said, getting out of his chair. "And send it to my cell. Thanks Kevin. You just gave us something to do rather than sitting on our asses waiting for Monster to appear."

"Any time sir," Kevin said.

"And Kevin," Matt said. "A piece of advice. If you truly love the lady with raging hormones, be a stand-up guy and still love her."

"Thanks Cob," Kevin smiled.

###


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you all for the reviews and the favorite/following alerts. I appreciate them.**

 **Let's have a little fun with Matt and Reid sharing a hotel room.**

Chapter 5

Matt pulled the Bureau SUV to the curb in front of the aunt's house. "We're less than a mile from the train yard," he noted.

Reid opened his door. "There's a single small light on. It looks like she's getting ready for bed."

"Toughski, shitski," Garrison said.

"I knew I liked you Greg the first time I talked to you," Matt said as the three went up the sidewalk to the front door.

Garrison rang the doorbell and looked in through the door window. "No movement; no answer."

"Ring it again," Matt said. Garrison did; looked; and shook his head. "Now we do it the hard way. And Greg, it's your jurisdiction."

Garrison pounded on the door. "Tallahassee police! Please answer the door!"

Gretchen Gibbons came down the steps in her bathrobe. She unbolted the door and opened it. "I'm sorry officer," she said. "I just thought it was the neighborhood kids. It happens with the varmints." Matt looked at Reid. "How can I help you?"

Garrison made the introductions. "FBI?" she said, looking at Matt and Reid.

"May we come in ma'am," Matt said. "We have some questions concerning your nephew Petey."

Gibbons shook her head. "I'd prefer not."

"Is Petey here now?" Reid asked.

"No, he isn't," Gibbons answered.

"But he does drop in occasionally?" Reid said.

"Yeah, he does. I give him a hot meal. After he uses my Y pass to work out and shower." Matt looked at Reid. "What's the problem?"

"Ma'am," Matt asked looking in the door noticed a huge mural on the dining room wall. "Did Petey do that?"

Gretchen smiled. "Yes, he did. And it took him less than a day to do it. I love it. But my only problem was he spray painted it. I had to smoke out in the backyard."

"Ma'am," Matt said. "Do you mind if I come in and take a picture of it?" Gibbons looked at him. "It's beautiful ma'am. I know my wife would love to have the same on our dining room wall."

She pushed the door open. "Be my guest." Matt entered in and took his picture.

"Thank you so much ma'am," Matt smiled. "I can't wait for my wife to see this," he said, heading back out the door.

Matt tapped Garrison on the back. "Ma'am, the Bureau is assisting the Tallahassee police in a local investigation. Thank you for your help."

"Good night Mrs. Gibbons," Reid smiled. The three went back down the sidewalk.

"You're sure he's not there Cob?" Reid whispered.

"Doc, Ys are not open this late. And remember the smell?"

"You didn't get that," Reid smiled.

"Nope," Matt said. "He wasn't there." Garrison looked at the two of them. "Get in," he said, getting into the Bureau SUV. "We'll explain."

While Reid was explaining the smells of the jungle to Garrison, Matt's cell rang with a call. He pulled his cell out and handed it to Reid. Garrison looked at him. "I'm driving." Garrison looked at him again. "My wife and I have twins that will be driving in less than six years. If I pound their asses about not texting or taking cell phone calls while they are driving, I have to walk the walk."

Garrison smiled. "Hey Kevin, it's Reid. Matt is driving."

"Geez, Cob is that hardcore on cells and driving?"

Reid smiled, putting the cell on speaker. "He just explained that to Detective Garrison. Walk the walk with the twins becoming drivers."

"That's still…"

"Kevin, I walk the walk now. That time is going to come up quicker than Abbey and I want and will bite us in the ass."

"You're good parents," Kevin smiled.

"We try," Matt smiled. "First off, what are you doing up so late? Second, do you have something for us?"

"With all due respect sir, I won't answer the first," Kevin said.

"I respect your privacy Kevin," Matt said.

"Thank your sir. The second is I might get you and Reid into your hotel room earlier."

"Kevin?" Matt and Reid asked simultaneously.

"I found Monster. His name is Jackson Moran."

"Holy shit Kevin," Matt said.

"I've got an address sir."

"Give it to us." Garrison wrote it down. "Now Kevin," Matt said, "be kind with the lady with the raging hormones and be the stand-up guy you are."

"Thanks sir," Kevin smiled. "Good luck sir."

"Thanks Kevin," Matt said.

"Thanks Kevin," Reid added. "We're heading to the address."

"Good night Kevin," Matt said. "Thanks for all of your hard work."

"My pleasure sir. DC is signing out."

Garrison looked at Matt as they headed towards the address with Garrison's guidance. "How do you want to play this?"

"Soft," Matt smiled at Garrison. "He doesn't have to help us." Matt pulled the SUV up to the curb of the apartment building. The three of them went silently up the steps to the second floor. Garrison noted a sign on the wall and nodded down the hall. They got to Moran's door. "Make it soft Greg," Matt whispered.

Garrison politely knocked on the door. Matt pushed Reid behind him. "Your gun is in prominate view," Matt said. Moran slightly pulled the door open.

"Excuse me," Garrison smiled. "Jackson Moran? Monster? We need your help. Please." He showed his badge. "You are not in trouble. We just need your smarts. You're the best tagger in Tallahassee."

"We?" Moran asked

"This is Agent Taylor and Dr. Reid of the FBI," Garrison said with Matt and Reid showing their credentials.

"FBI?"

"They are assisting the TPD on an investigation of a possible serial killer. They are from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit."

"Holy shit," Moran said. "The BAU?"

"You know us?" Matt asked.

"I've read every one of Agent Rossi's books," Moran smiled. "They sometime are the basis of my art work."

Matt smiled. "And that's all we want to talk about Monster. You are not a person of interest in our investigation. We just need you to look at some artwork and give us your professional opinion."

"You're Tallahassee's best," Garrison smiled.

Moran shook his head. "I can't let you in."

"Working on the concept of your next project?" Reid asked.

"Did you profile that?" Moran asked.

"Yes, I did," Reid said. Matt smiled.

Garrison shook his head. "Monster, you talk with us, look at some pictures and I'll give you carte blanche on tagging in this city with no TPD interference."

"So I look at pictures but you don't take any?" Moran asked.

"Monster, I'm sure you have figured out by now that I'm the hard ass FBI agent," Matt said. Moran nodded. "We just need to pick your brain man. I'm cool. And have full buy-in."

"I'm cool too," Moran said, opening the door.

They walked in and Reid immediately noticed Monster's concept board. "That's impressive," Reid appreciatively smiled.

"Thank you Agent," Moran smiled.

"Rock it out," Matt smiled.

Monster looked at the three of them. "You are truly in?'

Matt smiled, opening a folder. "Yup, now you help us." Matt handed the Bureau folder to Monster.

Monster deeply studied the photos in detail. He looked at Matt. "Can I ask?"

"This unsub is killing hobos and leaving them in the local railyard. When he dumps a body, he does a tag on the boxcar he killed the victim in."

"And the BAU is here to help TPD catch a guy killing hobos?" Monster asked.

"Their lives matter as much as anyone else's," Reid said.

"I'm impressed," Monster said. "First off, this is a tagger that learned his skills along the Mississippi River. New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis. We call them Miss River taggers," Monster said. He looked at Matt.

"We got that," Matt smiled.

"They all use three color combinations somewhere in their tags. It lets others know where they are from."

"And the colors?" Reid asked.

Monster pointed them out in all the photos. "The grey, almost black represents the top layer of the river. Dirty and polluted; the bad. The jade green indicates the water color underneath the layer of the polluted surface. The hope. The aqua blue is the layer of the river underneath that. That represents where the life lives and grows. The tags show those emotions. But in inverse fashion."

"How so?" Matt asked.

Monster looked at him. "Like the river man; the dark color dominates at the top. The bad."

"Like death," Reid said. Matt looked at him and realized the genius understood.

"Exactly," Monster said.

"Is there any other pattern you can notice?" Matt asked.

Monster shook his head. "They're chaotic with no meaning. Every tagger's work should have meaning. This doesn't. Other than the colors leading to death, this dude is off the rails." He looked at the three of them. "Sorry about the pun."

"No worries man," Matt smiled. "Thanks for the info Monster."

The three left the apartment and headed for the SUV. "Does that help you guys?" Garrison asked, getting in.

"Honestly Greg," Matt said. "I'm not worried about our profile. We know this guy and who he is."

"What are you worried about?" Garrison asked.

Reid looked at Matt. "The tactical when that train pulls into that railyard tomorrow."

"You don't think the profile will help?" Reid said.

"Do you?" Matt fired back.

Reid thought. "Petey will probably be dumping another body and that's a big railyard." He looked at Matt. "I get it."

"The profile will only help so much," Matt said, pulling up to the police station. He parked the SUV and turned to look at Garrison. "What you will need more tomorrow is getting a planned tactical response into that railyard. We'll work with Garcia to narrow down a time. But it's gonna take a huge tactical response to find this unsub. And due to his volatile nature, it has got to be coordinated. No one confronts this guy alone."

Reid smiled at Garrison through his drawn down passenger door window. "Cob's specialty. Please have your SWAT team on alert tomorrow."

"Roger that," Greg smiled. "Good night guys," he said, lightly tapping the roof of the SUV.

As they drove to the hotel, Reid looked at Matt. "You don't think the profile is going to help?"

Matt shook his head. "I doubt it. This is a tactical situation more than giving our profile. We know this guy and his profile. Will our profile play into that tactical plan? Absolutely. But catching this guy is another thing. We miss him tomorrow, he's in the wind. And that's the part of the profile I don't like."

"So what do we do?"

Matt parked the SUV in the hotel lot. "Not miss this SOB tomorrow," Matt said looking at Reid.

They both got out and Matt beeped the SUV locks. "They're striped," Reid said as Matt reached to open the hotel front door.

"Excuse me Doc?"

"My pajamas," Reid said.

Matt shook his head with a smile. "Doc," he said, pulling the door open, "I may give you a small ration of shit about them. But what's the second rule of this team because God knows none of us keeps the first."

Reid smiled as they walked down the hall to their room door. "What happens on the road stays on the road."

Matt smiled, opening the door. "Just don't stay up late reading. I need sleep with the day we face tomorrow." Reid paused as he started to enter the room and looked at Matt. "Doc, I'm so frickin' tired I can't tell you what color my boxers are."

Reid smiled. "Got it Matt." He entered the room with Matt following him in. "But what do I do about your snoring?"

Matt smiled. "Do an Abbey." Reid gave him a questioned look. "Elbow me in the ribs and tell me to roll over on my side."

Reid smiled. "I'll just settle for the second part." Matt pointed at him with his infectious Irish smile.

Spencer Reid walked out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later in his striped pajamas. Matt was already quietly snoring on his side, _his good side without the hurt hip_ Reid noted as he crawled into his bed. He shut the light out between the two beds. _I think I'm gonna see Matt tomorrow at his tactical best. I need to back him with our profile_ Reid thought, shutting his eyes _._

###


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Reid walked out the bathroom the next morning, showered, shaved and barefoot but in his pants for the day. As he pulled out a shirt, Matt came in the door from his workout, wearing his swim trunks and a Marine Corps sweatshirt for the AC chill in the hotel hallways. Reid smiled. "That's what you look like before you shave and do the hair gel?"

"And you've seen it before Doc," Matt smiled, grabbing things out of his bag for his morning shower. "Don't bullshit a profiler that is Irish Doc," Matt beamed, heading to the bathroom. Reid smiled, pulling out a pair of miss-matched socks.

"I'll meet you in the breakfast area," Reid said.

"Sounds good," Matt replied, shutting the bathroom door.

Thirty minutes later, Reid was enjoying his bowl of oatmeal, a glass of orange juice, banana and a lemon poppy seed muffin with his cup of coffee. Matt sat down across with him with his loaded breakfast tray. It was a cup of coffee, the usual Cob style (more milk than coffee), two glasses each of apple juice and milk, a huge omelet loaded with bacon, ham and cheese and a bagel along with a container of cream cheese. Reid looked at the tray and shook his head.

"I believe you once said on one of our many team outings doing this job that breakfast is the most important meal."

"I did," Reid said. "But really?"

"Irish fuel," Matt said. "I think I'm gonna need it." He nodded at Reid's tray. "Doing the Hotchner approved morning breakfast," he smiled.

Reid smiled. "My mom always did the same breakfast as Hotch."

Matt shook his head. "I'm not going there with that one kid," he smiled.

"Yeah, it is sorta weird that my mom and Hotch would make the same breakfasts for their sons."

Matt looked at Reid. "I don't want to hear it Doc." Reid smiled.

"You think this day is going to be like that?" Reid asked.

"Reid, if Garcia's intel pans out, we're looking at a bitch of day. I don't want to think about the tactical of covering that railyard." He looked at Reid. "I need you backing me with the profile."

Reid smiled. "I'm in." Matt noticed Reid going to that second level of his brain. Reid got out of his chair and returned with a bagel and cream cheese as well. Matt looked at him.

"And you worried about us partnering up," Matt smiled. "How was my snoring?"

"Manageable," Reid smiled back. Matt laughed, sticking in another bite of his omelet as Reid split his bagel in two and put cream cheese on the first half.

-00CM00-

Detective Garrison hadn't gotten his first morning cup of police station coffee when he noticed Reid and Taylor walking in. He came out his office. "Damn guys," he smiled. "You really do have full buy-in. I thought you two would work normal government hours being nine to fivers."

"I've got elementary school age kids," Matt smiled. "And my wife works as well. Nine to five doesn't work in our world."

"I so get that," Garrison smiled.

Matt looked at him. "Greg, Dr. Reid and I have a profile. But we also got our unsub's name. Your patrol officers don't need that profile." Garrison looked at him. "Your SWAT team does."

"How so?" Garrison asked.

"The info our technical analyst uncovered," Reid said. "We know when the next Tallahassee bound train is coming in. It's tonight. We've got to get that railyard covered and catch this guy."

"And if we miss him?"

Matt shook his head. "He'll go on a spree and kill more. And it just won't be hobos anymore." Matt looked at him. "You wanna deal with that?" Garrison shook his head.

"Once we get the info from Garcia," Reid said, "we can formulate a plan to catch him. But Detective, that means you get some buy in from your SWAT team."

"Why?" Garrison asked.

Reid looked at him, nodding at Matt. "He's the best tactical mind around. Former Marine recon."

"I'll get SWAT to buy-in," Greg smiled. "But I need to make some phone calls."

"So do we Greg," Matt smiled, nodding Reid to their conference room.

Matt's cell rang with a call as they entered the room. "Hey Hotch. Isn't it a little early for you to be in the office with Jack in school?"

Hotch shook his head at Dave. "He bunked in with Cam last night. Beth is in Milan again. Abbey and Raquel got them on the bus. Dave's here as well. We got your update from last night."

Matt looked at his watch. He winked at Reid with a smile. "Holy shit Hotch! Dave is in before nine?" Reid smiled.

"Shuddup Matt and give us an update. And tell us you've got a damn good plan for tactical in that railyard."

"Dave," Matt said, "that is a work in progress. Starting with TPD SWAT to have full buy-in. Second, we need Garcia's intel Hotch. But more importantly, Garcia working the railroad tracking system to get that train parked in a specific spot that we know about before that train gets here so I can do a tactical plan."

"Matt, we, more importantly Garcia," Hotch said, "have the buy-in from the rail company. You tell us where you want it."

Matt looked at the quadrant map in the conference room. "Quadrant 46. But Hotch, I'd like to get this train parked on a specific track that works the best tactical advantage for us. But I can't give you that until I walk it with the SWAT commander. Who yes Hotch, I'll work with."

"Get it done Matt," Hotch said. "We've got you covered on the back end."

"Thanks Hotch," Matt said.

"Hang on sec Matt," Rossi said. "How'd it go with bunking in with Reid last night?"

"Rossi," Reid said, "Matt has us on speaker. I'm helping him with tactical given our profile."

"Good call Reid," Hotch said.

"Spencer?" Rossi asked.

Reid smiled at Matt. "I'd rather bunk with him than you Rossi." Matt roared with laughter.

"Get Garcia ready to work Hotch," Matt said, still laughing.

"Got it Matt," Hotch said. He headed out of his office towards Garcia's lair.

"Hotch is out to get Garcia working her magic boys," Rossi said. "Get it done kids."

"Kiss my ass," Matt snarled. Rossi laughed as Matt ended the call.

Reid smiled. "You do know how to trip his buttons."

"Something I enjoy Doc. The student pisses off the mentor," Matt smiled.

"I never did that with Gideon," Reid noted.

Matt shook his head. "I got that Doc."

Reid looked at Matt. "You think I should have."

Matt looked at the genius. "No; your relationship to your mentor is different than mine. But Doc, and with all due respect, all I know is that a call Gideon made almost cost Hotch his career," Matt paused. "That still pisses me off. God rest his soul."

Reid shook his head. "Yeah, that wasn't his most shining moment. But given the circumstances….."

"Doc, I get it," Matt said. "You support him. And we got the bastard that killed him. I honor Gideon's career and what he has added to the BAU."

"Thanks Matt," Reid smiled.

Garrison walked into the conference room with another TPD officer. "Guys, this is Captain Luis Alverez. He's the head of our SWAT division."

Matt smiled at Reid. "Now we're making progress."

"What the hell do you need Agents?" Alverez said.

Matt shook his head. "You're giving us attitude Captain? Your department has got a serial killer on its hands. Garrison is working his ass off to find this SOB. But you don't care? Because it's hobos getting killed? Where do you draw the line Captain?" Matt looked at Garrison. "Because of the jurisdiction lines of this case, I can make it federal in a heartbeat. Because if we miss this guy tonight given our intel, he'll go into the wind and stop killing hobos. It will be regular folks on your streets."

"He'll go on a spree," Reid said.

"Do you want that Captain," Matt snarled.

"Cob?" Garrison said.

"Get your asshole SWAT commander on board. Or I'll make it federal."

"Like always; FBI swoops in for all the glory," Alverez said.

"Luis," Garrison growled. "You are reading this wrong. These agents are here to assist us. I've had nothing but cooperation from them. Back down and work with them. Or I'll go to the Chief." Alverez stared at him. "Did you just hear what they said? We catch this SOB tonight. Or he's loose in our city. And I'll tell the Chief that's on you because you refused to cooperate with the BAU."

"God damn you," Alverez volleyed back.

"God damn you," Garrison countered. "They are here to help Luis. Let them."

Alvarez looked at them and snidely said at Reid. "And what do you have to offer?"

"A profile of a serial killer," Reid said, jumping in knowing Matt's temper. "Plus the FBI's best tactical mind that is an MOH and served in Marine recon. Captain, we need to go that railyard and break it down to give us the optimal strategy to catch this unsub. Agent Taylor brings that to the table." He pulled out his wallet and grabbed out something. "This is a one hundred dollar bill. I'll bet you Captain Alvarez that Agent Taylor will break down the tactical scenario's that will blow your mind away. Wanna take the bet?"

Matt winked at Garrison with his Irish smile. "Doc, you always have a hundred in your wallet?"

"Ya Cob, I do."

Matt smiled. "Magic tricks to impress the ladies?"

"It works," Reid smiled.

"Ummm Doc, is it real?"

"You know better Cob." Matt roared with laughter.

Garrison looked at Matt. "Doc's is a fake," he smiled. "But it works charming the ladies." Garrison laughed.

"Greg, this asshole has no buy in; but Doc and I are still willing to work with you. You just get him to come along and we'll get him on board." Matt looked at Alvarez. "If he doesn't, it becomes a federal case. Sorry Greg," Matt said, looking at him. "I don't really want to step on your toes."

"I know Matt," Greg said.

Alvarez looked at Matt. "You really think you can do it better than me?"

Matt reached for his wallet and pulled out a hundred dollar bill. "This one is real Captain," Matt said. "You got one to match it? And Captain, it isn't about doing it better than you. I need you to help me so we can put a scenario together that hopefully will not get anyone else, including your team killed." Garrison smiled as Alvarez gulped.

###


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Matt and Reid pulled into the railyard followed by Garrison and Alverez. Keith, the railyard cop, walked out of the office. Matt made the introductions as his cell rang.

Matt pulled it out and looked. "Hey Aaron," Matt said.

"Our supervisor," Reid smiled at the other three. Matt put his cell on speaker.

"Matt, first off, you've got us all. The rail company has full buy-in with helping this investigation. You tell us where you want that train parked for tactical and they'll do it."

"And sir, I may have some help for you on that through my digging with the rail company's help. Each hobo that was killed was out of a box car that was in the middle of train car line."

"Garcia?" Reid asked.

Matt smiled. "Tell you two have never ridden a train before."

"Sir Cob?"

"It's the smoothest ride," Matt smiled.

Dave smiled. "You're right Matt," as Prentiss and Morgan shared befuddled looks.

"When I was a kid and my brother Mac was a teenager we'd take the train out of Chicago to go to grandma and da's farm every summer. Mac would always get us in the middle car," Matt explained.

"But Sir Cob, I'm telling you all the boxcars were almost exactly in the middle of the car chain. Victim one was dumped off car number forty-one of an eighty-three car train. Victim two was dumped of car thirty of a sixty car train."

"That fits with the unsub's meticulous nature," Reid said.

"That's what we thought kid," Morgan said.

"Got it Garcia," Matt said. "How many cars is our target tonight?"

"Sixty-four sir."

"That's huge Garcia with planning tactical tonight. Thank you," Matt said. "Aaron once I work tactical, do we have full buy in from the rail company?"

"Matt, they'll put it exactly where you want it. And they have given Garcia full access to the security cameras. We're all over this to help you and Reid."

Matt looked at Keith. "I need to see that quadrant map again," heading for the rail security office. Keith followed him. Garrison and Alverez looked at Reid. "He's in full blown tactical mode," he smiled, following Matt. Garrison and Alverez followed Reid into the office as Garcia relayed to Matt the quadrant the train would come into.

"Hotch? I know I'm being overly cautious. We have their full support including not moving any railcars in that quadrant?"

"Yes Matt."

"To the point that I can say stop this train at any spot?"

"Matt, from what they are telling me and Garcia, you have full control if you need it."

"I'm gonna need it. Aaron give them a head's up."

"You got it Matt."

"Whatca thinking Cob?" Morgan asked.

"I'm gonna box this guy in. I'm wanna put that train on a track with trains on each rail on either side to cut down his run options."

"Sir Cob, I'm all in on their security cams."

"Matt, they are cooperating fully," Hotch added.

"But Cob, that gives the unsub options to hop into a boxcar and hide," Morgan said.

"I'm not done Morgan," Matt said. "Just hear me out and follow my thinking. You know it. Garcia what's the weather forecast for tonight when that train pulls in? Specifically wind currents."

"Sir?"

"Do it Garcia," Morgan said. She quickly typed into her laptop.

"Four to seven mph from the northeast," Garcia said.

Matt looked out the window at the target quadrant. "That is northeast" Matt said with a point, looking at Keith.

"Spot on Agent," Keith smiled.

Matt looked at Alverez. "I'm assuming your SWAT team has a chopper?"

"We have four," Alverez said.

"We'll only need one," Matt said.

"Garcia," Matt said, focusing on the quadrant map. "Find me two rail lines in the middle of quadrant forty-six that have boxcars that will still be there when the our target comes in with an open line in between them."

Garcia typed. "There's only one sir. Track forty-seven."

"Hotch, that's our target line. That's where I want that train to come into the railyard."

"Got it Matt; I'm already relaying the information to the company," Hotch said, pounding out a text.

"Garcia, what's the length of the railcars of the trains on either side?"

Garcia typed. "The train on line forty-six is sixty cars. The train on line forty-eight is sixty-eight."

Matt looked at Keith. "How much longer is an engine than a boxcar?"

Keith shook his head. "A little more than a foot - if that."

"So you want our inbound train to stop four cars ahead of the train on track forty-six and four cars behind the train on track forty-eight," Reid said.

"Boom Doc," Matt said, still in tactical mode.

"Got it Matt," Hotch said, adding to his text.

"Matt, how you gonna catch this guy?" Rossi asked.

"Damnit Dave," Matt growled, "I'm just getting started. Aaron, see if the rail company doesn't mind us doing some tagging of our own."

"Cob?" Emily asked.

"Forget that," Keith said. "They know that shit happens. The taggers do it all the time. They don't give a shit. All they care about is getting paid to move product from point A to point B. As long as the product doesn't get damaged, they're good."

"Guys, the profile says if we corner this guy, he's gonna fight back," Matt said to the team.

"That's our profile Cob," JJ said.

"Here's the plan," Matt said. "We're gonna buy a big goddamn can of red spray paint and paint an 'X' on the top of five boxcars that are in the middle of capture zone. In each of those open boxcars will be a two person team of TPD SWAT at Captain Alverez's discretion. The TPD SWAT chopper is going to be hovering over the southwest end of the railyard, just above those cars. The unsub won't see it and won't hear it given the wind direction. The second the unsub drops a body and starts tagging, we move in. Including the chopper with the its lights blazing. By the X's on top of the boxcars, if our unsub runs to crawl into one, which we know he probably won't, the chopper gang can still detail to us on the ground exactly which one the unsub is in counting from the red X's."

Morgan looked at Rossi and threw the pen in his hand up in the air while shaking his head. "That's our boy," Rossi smiled as Morgan's pen landed on the table.

Hotch looked at Morgan. "Your assessment?" Morgan looked at him. "Morgan, I'd like it."

"It's goddamn air tight Hotch. I just don't like the tight quarters of SWAT coming out of those open boxcars at an unsub."

"Neither do I Morgan. That's why it's a two person team in each car," Hotch said.

Morgan pointed at Hotch. "He's damn good."

Alverez looked at Garrison and Reid. Reid smiled. "Got some buy-in now?" he smiled at Alverez.

Matt looked at Reid "I've gotta job for you pretty boy." Morgan smiled. "I want you in that chopper making the call. Just in case."

Reid smiled. "Cool; night vision optics. It's been a while. But I love it." Matt looked at him. "And I'll be all over it Matt."

"Doc: you won't need the night optics with the chopper's lights."

Morgan laughed. "Go get 'em Reid." Dave winked at Hotch.

"Damn Cob, as usual, you're good," Tara said.

"You want part of this don't you Lewis?" Matt smiled.

"I thought profiling each other was taboo," Tara responded.

Morgan shook his head, getting up from his chair. "Good luck with that. Get this bastard Cob," he said, walking out of the room.

"As usual, it's a rock solid plan. Run with it Matt," Hotch said. "Just remember with boxcars and gunfire…."

"Hearing protection; copy that boss," Matt said. Hotch shook his head at Rossi as he stood up from the table.

Dave smiled. "Get him kid,"

"Yes mom," Matt smiled, ending the call.

Rossi looked at the smiling ladies left around the table. "There are times I hate that kid."

"Like the times he calls you mom?" JJ asked.

Rossi wagged a finger at her. "Don't make me regret being your mentor."

"You blew it on the first two Rossi," Emily snarked.

Dave walked out of the room shaking his head with the ladies laughing.

Garcia looked at the other ladies. "How is Sir Cob's plan?"

Emily shook her head, standing up out of her chair. "A rock solid Cob plan."

JJ smiled at Garcia. "You doubt that?"

Garcia looked at them.

"Yeah Garcia," Tara said. "He's that damn good."

Alvarez looked at Matt. "So what the hell does that do for me and my guys?

Matt and Reid smiled. "We give you and your guys the profile. And then you make tactical assignments," Matt said.

Matt worked with Greg to plan out back-up along the rail lines for TPD with Keith and his bulls. "Just eyes man," Matt said to Keith. "No one on my watch that serves and protects gets their ass filled with buckshot. TPD has enough firepower." Keith nodded at him with a smile.

"I'll help them," Garrison said. "If you don't mind Keith?" Keith shook his head with a smile.

Matt smiled at Keith. "See ya later." Keith smiled back as Matt and Reid climbed into the SUV. Matt's cell rang. Matt looked at the caller ID. "What the hell Morgan?"

"Man," Morgan laughed. "I gotta ask. How'd it go bunking with Pretty Ricky last night?"

Matt smiled at Reid with a wink. "Number one, he doesn't snore as bad as Rossi. Number two; he doesn't drink scotch like Rossi."

"You're good man," Morgan smiled. "But Cob, you do know you've made a damn tight box on this guy. You might have created a big time collateral damage take down area."

"That's why Morgan, Reid and I are on our way to give the SWAT teams that are assigned to that area our profile." Matt paused. "And then let their commander make that big call. That's not on us; that's on him."

"You're good Cob," Morgan smiled.

-00CM00-

Alvarez and Matt laid out the tactical plan to the two person SWAT teams Alvarez had selected.

Matt looked at them. "I'm gonna make this short and sweet. Our profile of Peter Gibbons is he is a sadistic psychopath. He likes the kill. And if he dumps a body in the drop zone we've set up, and we call him out, he's not going down easy."

"To Gibbons," Reid added, "this will provide him a challenge; one that he will want to take."

"The only problem with that is this drop zone is limited in space," Matt said. "There is only ten feet between rail tracks. That's a short distance for Gibbons to cover. That gives you a damn short time to react."

The SWAT members looked at each other. Reid looked at him. "Here's where our profile really sets in. If we, I mean all of us miss getting Gibbons, that will embolden him. He beat the cops. He will go on a spree in your city. It won't be hobos any more. It will be every day normal citizens."

"And from there," Matt said, "all we know is he'll stay close to the tracks. Beyond that, our profile is no help in stopping this embolden unsub on going on that spree. This has got to stop tonight."

"Agent," a senior SWAT member said. "That's pretty tight quarters."

Matt smiled. "My Irish heritage would like to say 'no shit'. I respect you all more than that." The teams looked at each other with a smile. "But yes, you are right. That's why we are all sitting down and talking together about this tactical situation. It's Dr. Reid's and my profile that whoever gets the pleasure of being close enough to Gibbons when he makes his body dump, will face his attack. And yes, you'll have about a second to react."

"One point three seconds," Reid said.

Matt smiled at the SWAT team members. "The joys of working with a genius." They all smiled. "But folks, I did tactical for the Marines and this team for too many years. The key is to getting that boxcar stopped in our drop zone."

"Our technical analyst at Quantico will put that train, with help from the rail company, precisely in that zone. And we'll have the heads up," Reid said, "before it gets there. We've got the drop on this guy."

"And that's key," Matt said. "We'll all be on alert; knowing he's incoming. You see him in the open boxcar door with the body he's about to drop, you make your call out then. That buys you and all the rest of us time."

"Approximately four point five seconds more by my calculations," Reid said.

The SWAT team members looked at Reid and then Matt. "Yup, my partner is a walking computer," he smiled. "But his point has merit. If any of you can spot Gibbons before he gets out of that boxcar, we've got a better chance of not shooting the hell out of each other. And folks," Matt said, giving them all his stare down. "That doesn't happen on my watch."

"If we cannot stop Gibbons before he drops his body and jumps off the boxcar, the two closest officers are primary."

"So that's your shoot to kill order," a SWAT team member asked.

Matt shook his head. "I'm just the BAU profiler giving you all my assessment. That's your commander's call."

"Gee thanks for that Cob," Alverez said.

Reid looked at Matt. "With our profile, I think if Gibbons is confronted, especially with the armed presence that will be there…."

"He'll choose suicide by cop," Matt said. Reid nodded. "I agree. Thanks for that Dr. Reid." Reid looked at him. "I just don't want to set up TPD SWAT for a bunch of political backlash and bullshit given what is going around right now."

"They _are_ hobos Agent," a SWAT member said.

Matt blazed him a glare. "They are still human beings officer. And my partner and I are trying to protect your city and you as well. Don't give me that fuckin' crap."

Alverez shook his head, looking at Matt. "You really do have buy-in."

"Damn straight I do," Matt growled back.

"And then talk to all of us," Alvarez said.

"The big thing is if we can get Gibbons in the boxcar door. You are trained enough. Identify yourselves. And then take out both his knee caps."

"He lives," Reid said, "which gives us the chance to interview him in prison. The more we know about these unsubs helps us do our jobs."

"If you can't do that, the closest team that takes him on the ground is the lead team. I will not have a god damn shooting gallery in that railyard. The rest of us are solely in back up."

A SWAT member looked at Matt. "And it's shoot to kill?'

Matt shook his head. "I get to do my fed cop-out." He looked at the officer. "Not my call."

Alvarez looked at Matt. "But by your profile, you have told my officers that he'll be suicide by cop."

Matt smiled. "If cornered, yes Luis, I have."

"So have I," Reid added. "But it's just our consultation. The final call is yours."

Alvarez looked at his team. "Make it so."

"And more thing gang," Matt said. "From my boss, that just about had an eardrum blown out by an explosion." They all looked at him. "For those of you assigned to a box car, the ear you do not have your comm in….you have ear protection. The sound of a gunshot in that metal box could ruin your hearing. How do you all feel about desk duty?" The group all shook their head. "That's what I thought," Matt smiled.

He pulled out his cell. "Garcia, do you have an ETA on that train?"

###


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is late.**

Chapter 8

Matt looked at Alvarez. "We good?"

Alvarez smiled. "Yeah we are. What are we going to do for the next four hours?"

Matt smiled. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to find a mom and pop burger joint to get some food in me."

Alvarez beamed. "My team knows just the place. Do you care if we join you?"

"Hell no," Matt smiled.

Reid looked at Alvarez. "Do they have Reubens on the menu?"

Alvarez nodded at him. Matt looked at Reid. "In all the years we've worked together, eating at how many god-awful places, I've never, ever seen you order a Reuben."

Reid smiled. "A friend recently introduced me." He looked Matt in the eyes. "I could say the same about you." Matt looked at him. "Ordering Reubens."

Matt shook his head. "Doc, you're right. It's a poor man's corned beef and cabbage St. Patty's day dinner. Problem is – you know my tricky guts. I can't do the cabbage. This makes me a damn poor Irishman on the seventeenth of March."

Reid laughed. "Thanks for not asking about my friend," Reid sincerely smiled.

Matt put his hand on Reid's shoulder. "Just tell me you've finally moved on."

"I've finally moved on," Reid smiled.

"You rock Doc," Matt smiled. He looked Reid in the eyes. "And my lips are sealed. You know I don't do the office gossip crap."

"Why I shared," Reid smiled back. Alvarez looked at the two of them.

"Long stories," Matt and Reid said.

"I soooo get that shit," Luis smiled, shaking his head.

-00CM00-

By eight-thirty, the tactical squads were standing around the "drop zone" Matt had come up with. The sunlight was just finally fading with the change back to Day Light Savings time. They all had deposited their Kevlar in the open box cars they would be covering and were conversing with the railyard bulls that would be their extra set of eyes. Matt gave the bulls their assignments. "You are our eyes only. You leave your god damn shotguns in your office. You will not put buck shot into any of these officers. Detective Garrison will be your lead." Garrison nodded at all of them.

Keith smiled. "Got it; we're just happy to help out any way we can."

Matt pulled out his cell. "Garcia; you got an update for me?"

"Sir Cob, your train is about forty-five minutes out."

Matt looked at Reid. "Doc, is it possible this guy knows this route so well that he knows when it comes in at night?"

Reid thought. "It's probable. We know he always drops victims at night. What's your point Matt?"

Matt shook his head. "Me being damn spooked about a tactical situation I don't like and trying to get my brain to walk away from it."

"Sorry Matt, I can't help you on that," Reid said.

Matt looked at him. "Gee thanks Doc."

Luis walked up to the two of them. "When do you want the chopper?"

Matt smiled. "I know budgets Luiz; part of my job being second in command. When Garcia says the train is fifteen minutes out from the railyard, get that bird in the air."

"Cob?"

"Gas mileage on a chopper is?" Matt smiled.

Alvarez smiled. "Got it Cob."

"But then Luis, that pilot finds a spot to put it down in the railyard and an officer to get Dr. Reid to that spot."

"Roger that Cob," Alvarez smiled.

Reid looked at Matt. "Doc, we, all of us, are not going to let this unsub loose on the city. This is our Waterloo. It happens right here. If we miss him, it's up to you to feed us intel to track this guy. I will not let this damn man loose from the noose."

"Roger that Cob," Reid smiled.

Matt looked at the railyard bulls. "Agent, you know we'll help," Keith said.

"Thanks man," Matt smiled.

-00CM00-

Thirty minutes later, Matt and Alvarez were sitting on either side of the open box railcar door. They were leaning against the boxcar wall, wearing their Kevlar vests. Alvarez looked at Matt. "How long have you been with the Bureau?"

Matt shook his head. "Close to twenty years."

"And how long with the BAU?"

"It will be fourteen years in August."

"You've been chasing these unsubs that long?"

Matt looked at Alvarez and smiled. "I know the next question. Why?" Matt shook his head. "My kids, hell all the children of BAU agents think of us as superheroes. Mom or dad get the bad guy." Matt looked at him. "That's a pretty awesome feeling," he smiled.

"So being away from home so much is OK?"

Matt shook his head. "That gets old man; real old. It's hard on a marriage; on the kids. But Abbey and I work our tails off to keep it together." Matt looked at Luis. "I got blessed man with a one in million bride," he brightly smiled.

"Does she have clone?" Alvarez asked. Matt looked at him. "I'm on divorce number two."

"Ouch," Matt said. Just then his cell buzzed.

"Sir Cob, it's Garcia and you've got the whole team."

"Garcia, please tell me they are not all in your office. I know how much you hate peeps looking over your shoulder."

"So much sir," Garcia said. "We're all in the Round Table room. But you do have us all."

"Matt," Hotch said. "Garcia has every camera feed from that railyard quadrant on the screen. We're all here to help."

"Thanks Aaron," Matt said. "The key is getting that train stopped in our capture zone."

"I'm all over that sir," Garcia said.

"Thanks Penelope," Matt said.

"Sir, the train is just pulling into the railyard. But by my snooping of earlier video, they take their time going through the yard."

"It makes sense with all the trains and tracks," Rossi said.

"Matt, you all ready?" Hotch asked.

"Ready as we can be Hotch. I don't like the small space to work with in between the tracks. But Captain Alvarez has one helluva SWAT team and we're as prepared as we can be. We spent dinner talking over scenarios. I'm confident in the plan; and the personnel. I just don't like the tight quarters."

"Matthew," Rossi intoned, "you do know what the final call may be."

"Doc and I covered that Dave. But that is not our call to make to the Tampa PD SWAT."

"I've got your asses covered," Alvarez said. The rest of the team around the table smiled.

"Thank you Captain," Hotch said. "We appreciate that."

"Cob," Morgan said. "Where's Reid?"

"In the chopper for support in case we miss this guy," Matt said.

"How can you miss this guy Cob?"

"Morgan there are one-hundred forty-three open box cars in this quadrant. And this unsub knows how to get in and out of them in hurry. If we miss this….."

"I know man," Morgan said. "I don't need Reid's probabilities. You should have brought me along on this one man. I told you."

"First off Morgan that would leave Hotch with not only running the team, but doing tactical as well. That's a solid no. Number two, you, the third wheel would have had to share a bed with the good doctor."

Rossi smiled. "There's another solid no."

"Thank you Dave for your usual snark," Matt smiled.

"You did set that up really well for him Cob," Emily said.

"Em, I gave the old fart a no-brainer," Matt laughed. "Thank you for shutting down your usual snark machine to let the old man do it." The team all laughed as JJ rubbed Dave's shoulder while Tara gave him a point with a smile.

"Hot to trot guys!" Garcia said. "Get ready."

"Thanks guys," Matt said. "I appreciate it."

"Stay safe Matt," Hotch said. "Garcia has us patched into the SWAT comm feed."

"Yes sir. And roger that." He ended the call and put his cell away. He put in his ear plug in his right ear for protection, even though it wasn't his good ear.

The group in the Round Table room looked at each other with smiles and then got down to business watching the surveillance camera feeds. Alvarez pushed his comm button. "Look alive guys. Our bogey is close."

The Round Table room got silent as the train slowed to a crawl.

Three agonizing minutes later, the train slowly pulled into the exact spot that Garcia was directing the train into via the rail company. Alvarez's comm broke open. "Team three one to Skip! The bastard is standing in the open boxcar door holding a vic that looks dead."

The second person of the that team in the boxcar opened his comm. "Team three two to Skip. The vic has a head wound with dried blood."

"Copy that," Alvarez calmly said. Matt looked at him with nod.

"Team two to Skip. Copy that report."

"Be ready for back up team two," Alvarez said.

"Team two, roger that."

Matt peeked out the door, pulled back in, and then pointed two fingers to his eyes. "Team one has visual," Alvarez said.

The boxcar stopped almost exactly across the door from the boxcar that Matt and Alvarez were in. They both swung into the open door. "Peter Gibbons! FBI!" Matt shouted.

"Peter Gibbons! Tampa SWAT!" Alvarez added in the same tone. Gibbons threw the dead hobo out the door and quickly took three steps back and then charged towards the open door.

"He's trying to make the jump to our car," Matt said.

"My shot," Alvarez said, firing his service weapon. Peter Gibbons' lifeless body fell a foot short of his destination with a bullet buried into his frontal cortex via his skull.

Matt jumped out of the boxcar and checked Gibbons' carotid artery. He shook his head, holstering his Glock. "All teams stand down," Alvarez said. "Suspect down." Matt pulled out his ear plug.

Matt looked at Alvarez. "I'm getting a superhero home to his family earlier. I do the paperwork; not you," Alvarez smiled. "But damn that ear plug didn't help all that much," he said, shaking his head.

"Thanks man."

Alverez looked at him. "Your other ear doesn't hurt?"

Matt shook his head. "A Russian-made mortar delivered by the Iraqi Republican Guard in the first Gulf War took out most of my hearing in that ear." Alvarez just shook his head with a small smile.

Matt pushed his comm button. "Garcia: you still there?"

"Yes sir."

"Pardon my French special lady. But you just god damn rock. Thank you."

Garcia beamed. "Anything for you Sir Cob."

"We're clear Hotch," Matt reported. "Unsub is down and I'm not doing paperwork tonight."

Hotch smiled. "Got it Matt."

"And kid," Rossi said, "what does that look like tonight?"

Matt laughed. "I give the good doctor an hour to polish off ten books while I polish off three stiff drinks in the hotel bar."

"Make it so," Rossi said.

"Oh god damn no way. David Rossi is not a Star Trek TNG fan."

Rossi smiled. "The old fart has many cards up his sleeve to continue to amaze you kids even after all these years." Hotch just shook his head with a smile. The rest in the room all laughed.

"Umm, it's me; Reid. Actually, I'll read twelve books in that hour."

The group in the Round Table room laughed more.

"I'll polish off four drinks in your honor Doc," Matt smiled.

"Matthew, you are my pride and joy," Rossi said. The Round Table group laughed louder.

"Hey Hotch; why you should drink more," Matt smiled at Alvarez with a wink. "You aren't the golden Rossi son anymore."

Hotch glared at Dave. Rossi smiled. "The kid is right Aaron." That set off another round of laughter. Hotch smiled.

"You just like the drinking partner," Hotch smiled.

"That too," Rossi smiled at his other protégé.

"Get home gang," Matt said. "And push our fearless leader out the door first. Doc and I will see you all tomorrow afternoon. We've got this. Thanks again Garcia. As usual, you were monster big."

"Anything for you Sir Cob," Garcia said. "Quantico out."

-00CM00-

Matt and Reid walked into the hotel lobby a couple of minutes before midnight. Matt looked at Reid. "I meant it Doc. I'll give you an hour to read. The payback being you don't bitch about how bad I snored tomorrow."

"Deal," Reid smiled.

"Go," Matt thumbed towards the elevators as he headed for the hotel bar.

-00CM00-

An hour into the flight home, Reid woke from his nap on one of the jet's couches. He had read until nearly three that morning to the tune of Matt's scotch induced coma of sleep and quiet snoring with Matt sleeping on his side. He got up from the couch in the front of the cabin and crawled into one of the seats in the "four top of command" the team had termed. Matt woke up from his nap. "What's up kid?"

Reid smiled. "You were that worried about that tactical situation?"

"Doc that had potential shooting gallery printed all over it. That means officers, in the line of duty could have gotten hurt. By. Their. Own." Matt emphasized. "Would you want to live with that?" Reid shook his head. "That doesn't happen on my watch either. I'm glad Alvarez's team bought in. They were damn good."

"They were," Reid smiled. "Matt, I just want you to know you do an amazing job backing Hotch. And this is just not me. I'm talking for the team." Reid shook his head. "You're the parent with the most to lose. And yet, you're one that puts it on the line for all the rest of us." Reid looked at him. "Why?"

Matt smiled. "I get paid for it."

"That's a copout," Reid said.

Matt shook his head. "No it's not. I'm not supposed to say this. But I get field hazard pay that the rest of you don't from the Bureau."

"Come on Matt," Reid smiled. "I'm calling your Irish bullshit."

Matt shook his head and then looked at the genius. "Reid, honestly, that was what the Bureau hired me for. They knew I was a soldier at heart. A Marine." Reid looked at him. "We're paid to lay it on the line. All of it; leaving the spouse and kids behind. And we accept it."

"Wow," Reid said. "And Abbey accepts that?"

Matt softly smiled. "Yes, she does. So do Will, Savannah, Hayden and Beth." Matt shook his head. "Why they accept our roles I'll never know." Matt paused, looked down and then at Reid. "All I know is my wife loves me and supports me. And for that I am eternally grateful. And I'm blessed to have that." Matt looked out the window. "What they didn't tell me was the prat falls of the job I would have to deal with."

"Namely Gideon," Reid said.

Matt pointed at him with a nod and a sad smile. "Rossi walking in the door was my savior. I finally had someone that would help me understand this job we all do and, as senior profiler, would mentor me. And then back me so I could do the job the Bureau asked me to do. That meant I could back Hotch one hundred percent."

Reid looked at Matt. "You three are really that close"

Matt smiled. "You all call us the Three Musketeers for the helluva it?"

Reid smiled. "You got a point on that." Reid looked out the plane window and then at Matt. "Does that bother you three?"

Matt softly smiled. "We're proud to be that kid."

Reid smiled. "Mind if I conk out with another nap until Angie gives you a heads up on landing?"

Matt smiled back. "She'll wake me up from my nap."

#####

 **A/N: Thank you all again for the favorite and following alerts I received. And thank you to everyone that took the time to read.**

 **And a special thank you to the OK Teacher for once again being my proofreader.**

 ***Knightly bow***


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